#42 Prospect - Brandon Waring

[Jordan Tuwiner]

http://orioles-nation.com/?p=8096

Once considered a top prospect within the Orioles organization, Brandon Waring has taken a mighty fall. Waring was awarded the Carolina League MVP Award as a member of the Frederick Keys after posting a .874 OPS along with 26 home runs, but was unable to carry his Single-A success into Double-A.


Full top 50 list
42. Brandon Waring
43. Greg Miclat
44. Jake Cowan
45. Ronnie Welty
46. Kyle Hudson
47. Sebastian Vader
48. Jarret Martin
49. Dudley Leonora
50. Justin Dalles

[Shorebirdfan]

It seems to me that there are an awful lot of players who put up big numbers while at Frederick as compared to when they are at other levels of the organization. Anyone have any thoughts on this. Look at players like Waring, Florimon (his difference is outrageous), even Hoes and Avery. The list goes on and on.

[docjj]

Double A is what separates the contenders from the pretenders. It is the very best barometer for determining who is a legitimate prospect and who isn't. You'll find many guys in every team's minor league system who put up very good numbers in the lower levels, only to hit the wall at Double-A.

Waring is not a prospect. This is why he's #42 on this list.

[Don]

Single levels do not seperate guys; It is the level of competition versus the age of the athlete that is the best barometer of how well a pitcher or fielder is compared to his contemporaries.

Player A can post a .300 .425 and .850 at age 26 in Bowie and still be nothing more than an organizational guy.

Player B can post the same numbers at age 19 and you are thinking a future Hall of Famer in the making.

Waring is still a prospect because he can still fill a role as a bench player for the Orioles one day. His status is fading fast, but at 24 he still has the chance to succeed as he is not far off the average age of the Eastern League. The free swinger still has a career .500 slug, .850 OPS and those are numbers that you cannot overlook. If he had a better K/BB rate, he would be in the top 15 and in Sarasota with the major league spring training invite.

[Don]

As I said a few months ago, he has a short hitch in his swing.

He rocks in his loading phase that leads his hands back and away from his body. It is considered "wasted motion" and something you rarely see in the best hitters. It increases his swing path as the barrel drops in the zone faster (I mean sooner).

He possess tremendous amount of hand strenght as his bat still goes quickly through the zone at a nice pace and the reason that he can still get on top of balls. I also like the lag he generates a massive amount of torque and you see why this guy mashes the ball.

If he simply dropped his hands down instead of out and away, he could sit on a pitch a fraction of a second longer and most likely would be a better productive hitter.

[lawdog]

I agree with Don. Waring is way too good not to consider an excellent prospect. He is versatile, has excellent power, and has the intangibles...intelligent, good character, strong work ethic. He can be streaky.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

I agree with Don. Waring is way too good not to consider an excellent prospect. He is versatile, has excellent power, and has the intangibles...intelligent, good character, strong work ethic. He can be streaky.

I have no doubts there is some untapped potential. . .would just like to see it.